1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to recliners for seats in automotive vehicles, and more particularly, to a lost motion joint operatively coupled between a dual recliner assembly to relieve internal stress within and ensure independent locking of each recliner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Automotive vehicles include seat assemblies for supporting occupants within the vehicle. A seat assembly typically includes a seat cushion and seat back. Usually a recliner assembly is operatively coupled between the seat cushion and seat back for allowing selective pivotal adjustment of the seat back relative to the seat cushion between a plurality of reclined positions.
It is well known to provide a disc-type recliner assembly having an inner disc fixedly secured to the seat cushion and an outer disc fixedly secured to the seat back. The outer disc is rotatably coupled to the inner disc. An annular rim of teeth is formed on the outer disc. At least one pawl lockingly engagable with the rim of teeth in the outer disc is movably coupled to the inner disc for selective movement between locked and unlocked positions. The pawl is biased toward the locked position. In the locked position, the pawl is lockingly engaged with the rim of teeth to hold the seat back in any one of the plurality of reclined positions relative to the seat cushion. In the unlocked position, the pawl is disengaged from the rim of teeth to allow adjustment of the seat back between the plurality of reclined positions.
It is also common for a seat assembly to include dual recliner assemblies. Typically, a rod extends between the recliner assemblies for synchronizing movement of the pawls between the locked and unlocked positions. However, conventional dual recliner assemblies utilizing the rod are susceptible to dimensional variance in the seat assembly and vehicle body, which can result in internal stress between the moving parts within each recliner assembly and cause elevated recliner operating efforts.
It remains desirable to provide a dual recliner assembly that utilizes a rod for synchronizing the pawls and is less susceptible to dimensional variance in the seat assembly and vehicle body.
According to one aspect of the invention, a recliner assembly is provided for a seat assembly in an automotive vehicle for providing pivotal adjustment and selective locking of a seat back relative to a seat cushion between a plurality of reclined positions. The recliner assembly includes spaced apart outboard and inboard recliner mechanisms each selectively movable between a locked position to lock the seat back in one of a plurality of reclined seating positions and an unlocked position to allow pivotal movement of the seat back relative to the seat cushion between the plurality of reclined positions. Opposing outboard and inboard shafts extend axially from the outboard and inboard recliner mechanisms, respectively, for moving the outboard and inboard recliners between the locked and unlocked positions. A rod extends between the outboard and inboard shafts for moving the outboard and inboard recliner mechanisms together between the locked and unlocked positions. The rod is slidably engaged with at least one of the outboard and inboard shafts for accommodating variance in the relative positions between the outboard and inboard recliner mechanisms due to build tolerances in the seat assembly and the automotive vehicle.